Six hours is a long time
by gjhstories
Summary: I was searching for stories based on 200 and the Hotch and Emily 'moment'. I did not find any, so I wrote one. It's a one chapter, which I'm willing to develop into multi chapters if time permits. Hope you're blessed by it. Writing is therapy and reading is the same.
1. Six hours

"…a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up." Ecclesiastes 3:5-6

Six hours is a long time. More than half a work day, less than the suggested hours of sleep required, sufficient time to give, take and make love.

Aaron knew that his thoughts were selfish. Emily's ability to spend six more hours in the United States should be spent with the team and not only with him. The chance to be in her physical presence alone should be acceptable but sadly it was not. He had an unchained desire to tell her how much she meant to him. How this desire was overriding his ability to be Aaron Hatcher, the controlled one.

She flashed him a smile and his heart beat faster. She nervously touched her hair and it increased his desire.

'Do you want me to get the team so we can plan a place to meet up or…' she'd left the or, trailing off into her own thoughts, seemingly giving him the opportunity to court her, willing him to control this situation and not himself.

He bowed his head shyly. He saw the bait and like fish starved for food, he longed to proffer her unspoken offer.

Their eyes locked when he finally raised his head to her once more and he opened his mouth to request dinner, a late lunch, a drink at a 'pub' even, but the public instead intruded. Penelope and Morgan entered the room and his 'or…' was swallowed by Penelope's squeal.

The team together once more was the topic of the day. JJ would miss this gathering as she needed time to recuperate on so many levels, but, the team was back together none the less and Hotch regretted his willingness to deny them time with her.

Drinks at the newest spot in town was agreed.

"Old friends returning doesn't mean old places need to be haunted. We're taking you out to the new and improved." Morgan teased.

"Well of course we are." Penelope chimed in. "It'll be a place befitting of a queen my lady.' When Garcia bowed for effect, Hotch and Emily launched in unison and Morgan too joined in with the bowing and salute.

They departed at this juncture to inform the rest of the team of the plans and Aaron stood calculating the 15 minutes that had stretched by since she had said 'Six more hours'.

"Would you like me to take you to your hotel?" was his next grasp at etching out a rime of solitude.

"I would like that very much." Emily decided to confess. If distance made the heart grow fonder, then one would think she had moved to Australia and not simply across the pond. Hearing his voice on the other line when he had first called to let her know about JJ, seeing him in person when she had returned, being under his command and yet being his equal, somehow had heightened her own desires to no longer compartmentalize, but to instead, chain him to her.

He placed his hand on the small of her back as she'd often seen in the movies and felt by other men but the feeling wasn't the same as when he just did it. She remembered when Viper had leaned into her and how Hotch had very Hotchnerly angled himself in front of her. Like a film roll, her mind raced to him coming to her apartment and saying "I need you on that plane with me" and to her own time of confession, when she had told him in his apartment "He's not alone", surreptitiously telling him, that neither was he.

When they reached his SUV, he opened her door for her and she choose to enchant him with her beautiful smile. Six hours has to be enough, she thought.

Six hours needs to be sufficient to give, take and make love.


	2. Five hours and counting

_**Prologue**_  
>It was difficult to imagine anything further than the waning six hour timeframe before them. They both knew their careers were roadblocks to anything long-lasting but the intensity of emotions restrained for so long were raging for release. Additional impetus to the sudden change in their outlook was an invisible neon sign brightly proclaiming "FRATERNISATION: AN OPTION". Could they imagine a Hotch and Emily outside of a BAU existence? Could they consider the possibility of being in this moment, towards, having a moment?<p>

_**"As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women." Song of Solomon 2:2**_

The drive from the building parking lot was tense with silence. There was an unspoken question haunting both their minds. "Where do we go from here...with this...with the time left?"

As Hotch neared the Hotel Monaco, his hands gripped the wheel tighter, a symbolic expression of his desire to not release the chance to be with her. He pondered his next move. Dropping her off at the hotel, with the promise of returning to pick her up would speak volumes of timidity and not desire; however, broaching the option of drinks, when they were going to be drinking with the team was a clear indication of desperation.

Her next words surprised him out of his uncertainty and he realised with definite peace that six hours was enough time to give, take and make love.

'You know, if you have your go bag, you could get ready here instead of heading out and then coming back for me?' She had spoken with finality in her voice, but the sudden bulge to her eyes was his clear indication that she was more shocked than he was at her forward suggestion.

He decided not to leave her on the limb of doubt and fear, and calmly responded "Logistically that makes sense."

She smiled and was glad for the interruption of the valet who appeared at Hotch's door. They disembarked and went to retrieve their bags from the back of the vehicle. Ever the gentleman, Hotch took his and her bag in hand allowing her to proceed him to the elevators. As the doors closed, creating an enclave of opportunity, they also felt the enslaved feeling of wantonness spinning a web around them. This wasn't adultery, it wasn't unrequited love and it certainly wasn't immorality for a handsome man and a beautiful woman to be willing to take the chance of being each other's comfort, yet each breath they took, breathed feelings of betrayal and thoughts of duplicity.

"I know." she said out loud.

"I understand." He responded.

They chuckled at their unspoken conversation, rhythmic of the synchronized way they had moved previously on cases. They spared each other sideway glances of mirth and humor as the elevator proceeded upwards. The weight of thoughts unspoken and words left unsaid slid away with the opening of the elevator doors and the walk to her room were steps of confidence buoyed by feelings of togetherness. When she closed the room door behind them, the enslaved feelings were gone and an enchanted emotion took over.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked as she saw the tray of beverages on the settee at the bed.

"Sure water would be fine" he answered.

She poured the liquid into the tumbler and handed it to him as he positioned himself on a couch chair by the windows. Distance would not accomplish what they desired and so she seated herself at the couch chair next to his. They looked out at the street below, with the people bustling to and fro.

"How's Jack?" she ventured.

"He's good." Hotch responded "I'm enjoying watching him grow up. It gets a bit overwhelming at times but I'm certainly grateful for the support I get from the team and Hailey's sister." He concluded, sliding further into the chair. He lay his head back and inhaled deeply. Fatigue was a natural part of their existence but she knew that this action was an expression of relaxation rather than fatigue.

"And how's London." He countered, opening his eyes and staring intently at her.

She opened her mouth to respond and in her Emily way, she started speaking in a monotonous tone, trailing off in mid-sentence, followed by sudden bursts of further explanation, with hints of sarcasm. There was only so much she could really share about her role and her teams at Interpol and he didn't want her to feel obligated to share more than she could. He was simply happy to be with her, alone, listening to her face to face, rather than over the computer or over the phone.

He didn't realise that he was staring at her lilywhite complexion with fascination, until she tilted her head sideways with a questioning look on her face.

"Am I rambling?" she asked with a crooked smile.

"No, not at all." he answered and returned with a smile of his own. She analysed that this was not the smile he used for members of his team. It was open, unreserved, reaching his eyes and touching her soul. It was a lover's smile, tender and genuine. She slid further into the chair, pulling her knees to her chest and placing her left hand under her head. She looked soft and delicate, like a lily, encased in an oriental material.

"What about Blake?" she asked "How's she as a team member?" she continued.

He heard her unspoken question– 'Is she as good a team member as I was? Have I been easily replaced?' He chose his next words carefully.

"She's good. She adds a great deal of knowledge to the team. Of course, you must know that if you wanted to come back…"

"I know." She interjected, nodding her head. Her statement seemed to close the chance of him declaring the mountains he would move to have her and so he decided to approach the topic from a more direct angle.

"Do you want to come back?"


	3. 240 minutes

_**Prologue**_

Emily and Hotch are sitting in her hotel room, talking about their life since Emily left the BAU. Their conversation ultimately leads to the elephant in the room topic, when Hotch asks '...Do you want to come back?'

••••••••••••

"_**Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18**_

'...Do you want to come back?'

'Oh look at the time.' She teased, jumping up from her crouched position, feigning shock and awe at her watch's screen. 'I better get a quick shower so we can leave sooner than later, right?' she added with extra cheer.

She spun on her heels to head towards her ready bag, neatly placed besides his by the bed. Instead, she was halted when Aaron's right arm suddenly draped across her path, bouncing non-graciously but most gratefully against her thighs.

She expected a reflex sorry to escape his lips but he said nothing, choosing to look up at her from his seated position, patiently waiting for her to answer.

Emily stared into his eyes, willing him to understand her silence signified reluctance to answer and reluctance to stay.

She retreated to the window's thin ledge, and scotching a seat, she faced him, still saying nothing, still willing him to resign himself to the knowledge that the next 240 minutes would have to suffice.

A midnight rendezvous would not be theirs for the taking; nor would a one-night stand be an option. The moment and time that they could experience was here and now and as she watched him, watching her, wanting him to want her, she gave up and gave in, speaking with an open heart, long ago closed.

'Ho-otch...' She began stiltedly. Dropping the familiarity and choosing formality she proceeded to use his Christian name, 'Aaron, I would love to stay and be here with you guys and be a part of the team again and hope and pray that everything would be okay and return to semi-normalcy in our non-normal lives.' She suddenly stopped, her eyes darting to her phone by the table, expecting it to ring and interrupt the intensity of their conversation but it did not and he continued to sit, staring at her, waiting for her, wanting her.

'And honestly, the way you're looking at me right now,' She lithely licked her upper lip, uncertain of how she should proceed. She didn't need to, as he decided to finish her sentence for her, standing with swiftness and stopping one step in front of her.

'The way I'm looking at you right now should tell you that if you wanted to come back I...'

HIS phone suddenly rang and his SSA Hotchner reflex kicked in this time.

She saw Morgan's name flash across the phone's screen as he brought it out of his pocket and she immediately regretted her and his words that would be left unsaid.

'Hotchner' he answered in a matter of fact tone.

'Hotch, it's Morgan, you're picking up Emily right? We're on our way and Garcia here keeps pestering me' Morgan's next words faded and Emily thought she heard an 'ow' as Garcia must have hijacked his phone with her very own 'Hi-Yah' karate impression.

'Hello my fearless leader!' Garcia cheerily ranted into the phone. 'If you do not get Emily there soon I am going to have to make you fear me, said in the most respectful and loving manner, Sir.'

Hotch smirked into the phone and responded with a voice reserved for Penelope.

'I'll have her there as soon as I can' he answered with finality, knowing the team was thinking he would have to drive from his place back to the hotel.

The call ended with more cheeriness from Penelope and what she could only assume were Morgan's teasing shouts.

'We should get going.' She said.

'We need to finish this.' He replied

'The team will be waiting on us.' She continued.

'We've been waiting on each other.'

He wasn't backing down.

'Emily, you flew to England to find a new life. Things just weren't the same for you after Doyle. I get that, but you know you're still a part of us. We're not leaving here until we settle this.'

'Hotch, I'm not coming back.' She said with dread.

Hotch sighed deeply and fell back into the couch chair. He rested his head in his hands, his elbows at his thighs. Raising his head to face her, he spoke with little emotion this time 'Why?'

'We can never go back.' She lamented

'Not true.' He emphasised 'We moved like clockwork the other night to find JJ and we did and we couldn't have done it without you.'

'We can never go back to pretending like we don't know about all that I did, all that I had to do.'

'Emily' he got up from the chair and scotched next to her at the windowsill. 'We all have scars, physical and emotional.' He surprised her by his own admission, touching his stomach's scars from Foyet subconsciously and she subconsciously found herself reaching for her own stomach, touching the area where Doyle had stabbed her.

'Whatever, the deep, dark secret, whatever the scarlet lettered sin, we can put it behind us and come out stronger, if not unscathed.'

'Scarlet Lettered Sin, huh? She smiled to lighten the mood 'Are you accusing me of something there Mr. Hotchner man'

He laughed. They so easily fell into an easy banter, even while having the talk that would take them where they both wanted to go, but couldn't.

Staring it seemed at her very scared and scarred soul, Emily did the only thing that could preserve the chastity of the moment and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek.

'I think I'll go take that bath now.'

'You better or Garcia will have both our heads.'

As she walked to the bathroom door with her ready bag in hand, he knew that they still had so much more to say and that another conversation would have to follow.

'The way I was looking at you, you have to know, that if you wanted to come back, I'd be there for you, to listen to your bad days and the good ones.'

She halted for the second time that evening, dropping her ready bag and raising the white, wool robe, she had retrieved from the bed, to her eyes. She didn't know from where the tears had sprung. She had been holding the intensity of the last day inside her, the idea of losing JJ, seeing the team again and now the depth of her emotions with Hotch broke her regal poise and soldier like stance as she sobbed into the wool.

Hotch came slowly to her side, not wanting to break her any further, simply wanting to build back the walls of love and care that she had neglected.

As he turned her into his arms, holding her head to his chest, gently stroking her hair, she heard the howl of the wind outside, as a gust of February's snowy-wind blew into the room. The fall of snow was welcomed as she softy cried into the wool, enclosed in the warmth of his arms, the fears of enemies dead and gone and any new nemesis that would come, kept at bay.

When she finally stopped crying, raising her head to look up into his eyes, they were both thinking that they needed more time to give, take and make love.


End file.
